Extensive x-ray scattering studies of the structure, phase transitional and critical phenomena, and aggregational processes in liquids, solutions and liquid crystals have led to the development of specialized techniques for the exact collection of the complete wide-angle to small-angle intensity pattern and its analysis, generally in terms of the component structure of single membranes. The work will be done on suspensions of membrane vesicles below and above the lipid transition temperature, when applicable, and the emphasis will be on the determination of the protein distribution and of the lipid hydrocarbon aggregation structure. On-line computer data collection and processing, including Fourier inversion and deconvolution of the data, will allow continuous monitoring of the experiments. It is anticipated that the transfer of this expertise of liquid state structure analysis to cell membrane structure will lead to new interpretations and clarifications not possible with the traditional types of membrane diffraction methods. A prime focus of the research will be to apply the new approaches worked out to the determination of differences between normal and pathological membranes.